Magnetic shuffleboard

ABSTRACT

A portable magnetic shuffleboard game characterized by a marginally enclosed game board whose playing surface is uniquely charted and structured to provide north and south communicating zones featuring a novel arrangement of starting lines. There are two starting lines and playing piece pockets in the south zone and one starting line and left and right playing piece pockets in the north zone. The playing pieces comprise magnetic rings capable of being selectively slid and shiftably moved from an initially set locale to prescribed target and scoring areas. An underlying principle involves magnetic repulsion wherein a magentic cue (called a Q-ring) is manually manipulated in such a manner that it repulses, chases, and drives one of more scoring rings toward the desired goals, racing against time or, alternatively, racing against an opponent for task-completion.

United States Patent [19] Arthur [11] 3,764,144 [451 Oct. 9, 1973MAGNETIC SHUFFLEBOARD Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [76] Inventor:Thomas F. Arthur, l8 Laux Manor Assistant Examiner-Thaw Brown DrMetairie, La. 70003 AttrneyHarvey B. Jacobson PP N04 187,440 A portablemagnetic shuffleboard game characterized by a marginally enclosed gameboard whose playing 52 U.S. c1. 273/126 A 273/1 M Surfa is uniquelycharted and Pmvide 51 in. CI. Assisi/00 and suth mmunicatin8 mesfeaturing. a 58 Field of Search 273/126 A 118 A arrangement Startinglines are 273/119 A 115 120 A 121 A A starting lines and playing piecepockets in the south A 124 A 123 130 131 131 zone and one starting lineand left and right playing n6 M piece pockets in the north zone. Theplaying pieces comprise magnetic rings capable of being selectively [56]Reerences Cited slid and shiftably moved from an initially set locale toprescribed target and scoring areas. An underlying UNITED STATES PATENTSprinciple involves magnetic repulsion wherein a ma- 433,624 8/1890Jacobs 273/125 R gentic cue (called a Q ring) is manually manipulated insuch a manner that it repulses, chases, and drives 3653666 441972 :3 :7{73/123 R one of more scoring rings toward the desired goals, I racingagainst time or, alternatively, racing against an opponent fortask-completion.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SOUTH -(WMMIB-my 1: )*-0(8Iack} 52 1 Q" 9"1;} 3a i s 2-4? \qiiag g s-qi 44 (fgzwc 32 44 44 54 a e w 653) --sumzam30" 26 Grun c Zi g Norm Zone i g/32 Kl? W -24 2 4a 22 48 h n 2 'LQI' I li em I 1 an I YI'IIOI' 0 so /a 1 MAGNETIC SHUFFLEBOARD This inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in portable table-typegames for use indoors or outdoors and has to do, more particularly, withan innovation which is a game of skill involving concentration, a gameranging from minimal simplicity to maximum complexity, which lendsitself for use by participants of varying ages and which is comparableto and resembles shuffleboard.

A significant aspect of the invention, as will be hereinafter more fullyunderstood, invokes the principle of magnetic repulsion wherein a ringmagnet magnetically opposes a playing type ring magnet, or a chain ofring magnets, to move the same in a prescribed or desired order to adesired goal on the surface of a compara tively simple portable gameboard. To the ends desired each player must control the entire sequenceof motion of the rings by manually manipulating a starter magnet (hereindescribed as a Q-ring) with one hand. In carrying out the inventive ideathe scoring rings are chased and repulsed or driven by magnetic forces.

' In the well known game of shuffleboard, discs are slid, or pushed witha handle-equipped cue along a flat surface toward numbered zones orso-called squares. The present invention, unlike regular shuffleboard,involves the use of permanent ring type magnets, utilizes targetrecesses 01' pockets which may be temporarily covered with insertableand removable plugs for game variations. It employs only the principleof magnetic repulsion in a chain reaction formation, it is additive orsubtractive in relation to the component magnets used, relies on theplayers hand in direct contact with the Q- magnet rather than someremote means such as a headed cue stick or paddle. Then too, it containsthe inherent capacity to allow for an almost infinite number of gamevariations beyond the standard games and game rules.

For background informationreference may be made to a U.S. Pat. N05. toGeorge Frazier 2,590,002 and, in addition Calvin C. Kernodle 3,1 16,929which has to do with a magnetic game apparatus. These 'prior patentspertain to game devices in which the game pieces are moved in responseto a magnet with the polarity of. the magnets controlling movement ofthe game pieces. Other patents may have a bearing on the state of theart to which the invention relates but are not here cited. In thisconnection, and as will be hereinafter more fully appreciated, thepresentinvention pertains to a game board having target recesses orpockets which are capable of being optionally filled with insertable andremovable plugs, and ring-type magnets which are movable in response to.magnetic repulsion.

An aspect of the overall concept which is -also of significance pertainsto the utilization of coordinating colors, numbers and alphabeticalletters which facilitate and systematize the playing of the gameaccording to matching colormumber combinations and to colornumbercombinations of magnetic rings.

Briefly, the magnetic shuffleboard game is characterized by a simple andpractical portable game board having a smooth flat playing surfaceplotted and laid out atone playing end, for example, to provide a starting area for placement of a plurality of magnetic playing pieces capableof being selectively slid and shiftably moved out from predeterminedmanually set positions within the confines of a starting area, to anisolated complemental goal and scoring area. This scoring area hasrecesses defining a group of upwardly opening seating and retainingpockets for scoring reception of such playing pieces as are successfullyshuffled by the player and temporarily lodged in the pockets. As alreadytouched upon, the magnetic playing pieces are movable in response toforces of repulsion, at least one of said playing pieces being adaptedto be manually manipulated by one hand and constituting a cue" andfunctioning to repulse, chase and maneuver one or more of the scoringmagnets, minus physical contact and solely by magnetic force, from thestarting area to the scoring area in a manner to seat itselfin a scoringposition, that is, in a prescribed pocket.

More specifically, the playing pieces'comprise basically similarmagnetic rings. On the other hand, the cue ring is color-coded, white orblack for example, and marked with the letter O and is hereinafterreferred to as a Q-ring, all of other shiftable and slidable rings beingdistinguishably color-coded.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the. details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan .view of a magnetic shuffleboard constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention and showing thesouth half or zone at the top, the north half or zone at the'bottom, thering magnets lined up with the starting line in the north zone, andother features to be hereinafter set forth. FIG. 2 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view taken on the plane of the slightly irregularsection line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of theindicating'arrows.

FIG. is a view in perspective'ot one of the aforementioned ring magnets,more particularly, a Q-ring with a portion of the plastic coveringbroken away to expose the magnet.

a FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the insertable and removablecover discs. I

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section which shows thecover'disc of FIG. 4 fitted into and plugging one of the aforementionedreceiving, seating and retaining pockets.

The game board is of composite or laminated construction and is denoted,generally stated by the numeral 8 in FIG. 2. As here shown, the boardproper comprises a rigid plywood panel 10. The marginal edges of thepanel are encompassed and surrounded by an aluminum frame made up ofcomponent parts as shown in FIG. 1. The frame is denoted by the numeral12 and as will be observed, the upper portion projects above and in factoverhangs the flat top surface 14 of the hard surfaced ply of plasticcardboard 16, as at 18. With further reference to FIG. 1 it will benoted that an imaginary line 20 defines an upper half portion whichconstitutes a south zone and is utilized at the upper or south end bytwo opponents in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The lower halfportion constitutes a north zone, the lowerend of which constitutes thenorth playing end. A single person, racing time for completion, utilizesthis north end in a manner to be later described. As will be furtherevident in FIG. 2 the bordering frame 12 adds strength and functions toretain the rings within the playing area and the extended lip 18overhangs the marginal edges of the plastic cardboard or equivalentplaying surface. In addition five rubber or equivalent feet (FIGS. 1 and2) are provided and designated at 22 and are screwed or otherwisefastened in place as illustrated in FIG. 2. These depending supportingfeet are arranged in an X-pattern to retain levelness and also keep thegame board away from any magnetic influences which might be present inor on the surface upon which the game board is positioned for use. Inthis connection, it should be noted that there are no magnetic metalsused in the materials and hardware of that part which is described asthe game board.

At the median lengthwise center portion of the north zone 24 a firststarting line is provided and is characterized by recessed spots, one ofwhich is shown at 26 in FIG. 2. At the bottom of each recess there is asuitable color spot 28. In this row of' spots (constituting the startingline) it will be seen that the spot at the extreme bottom in FIG. I iswhite for spotting a white Q-ring 30 This is the ring which is held inthe fingers of one hand (not shown) and is shoved about in order tomagnetically repulse and move the other playing pieces, also in the formof corresponding but differently colored ring magnets. For sake ofdistinction the slidingly movable playing magnets are denotedindividually by the numeral 32. All of these playing magnets are of theconstruction shown in FIG. 3 wherein a magnet 34 is covered with a filmof suitably colored plastic material. More specifically, each magnet isa requisite crosssection and has a clean, ground, polished smooth bottomsurface and is coated with hard suitably colored acrylic material. To bemore specific, the number 1 ring is yellow and corresponds to the yellowspot with which it is lined up in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The number2 ring is blue and the number 3 ring is red. The next ring is lavenderand is designated at A, the next ring B is orange and the third ring Cis green. These rings are never in physical contact with one another,thus requiring the player to control'the entire sequence of motion ofthe ring manually and manipulating the starter magnet or Q-ring with onehand. When several rings are being driven by the Q-ring, the Q-ring mustnever move any other magnet out of sequence. This is to say, forexample, the Q-ring must drive the yellow number 1 ring which in turndrives the number 2 blue ring which in turn drives the number 3 red ringand the game is completed when all rings with the exception of theQ-ring are driven into appropriate receiving, seating and retainingpockets. This is accomplished in the area, that is the upper halfportion 36, more particularly, the centralized area designated generallyat 38. More specifically, circular openings are cut out and provideseating and receiving pockets 1, 2 and 3, the bottoms of which areproperly colored so that the color combinations match thecorrespondingly color-coded rings, that is, the aforementioned rings 1,2 and 3. This holds true in respect to the next three pockets which aredesignated at A, B and C. These several pockets are likewise color-codedto correspond with the aforementioned coordinating color-coded magneticrings.

While considering the matter of colored and numbered and letteredpockets, it is significant to note that to the left and right of theaforementioned starting line in the north zone several correspondinglyconstructed pockets are provided. One group is denoted at 40, this beingto the left of the starting line and the other group at 42 which is tothe right of the starting line.

The numbered pockets in the first named group 38 are convenientlydesignated by the numeral 44 while the lettered pockets in the samegroup are denoted by the numeral 46. The numbered pockets in the group40 are conveniently designated at 48 and those in the group, that is thelettered group 42, are denoted by te numeral 50.

The recessed spots constituing the starting line and properly coloredand which are properly sequentially numbered and denoted at 52 and thosein the starting line for the lettered group A, B and C are denoted at54.

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be noted that the numeral58 designates an appropriate disc with a central air venting hole 60therein. This disc is of a precise diameter and thickness that it can beproperly used as a pocket cover, that is, a cover which can be pluggedinto a selected pocket. For example, the pockets 44 and 46 are covered(not-shown) when the game is being played from the south end and by thesame token, the pockets 48 and 50 are preferably covered when the gameis being played from the north end. FIG. 5 shows how the plugging andcovering step is accomplished.

In playing the game from the north end the object is to drive yellow-l,blue-2 and red-3 with the white 0- ring into correspondingly colored,numbered or lettered pockets. They must be sunk or dropped-in insequence, first the red-3, then the blue-2, then the yellow-1, in thatorder. A player is disqualified (or must begin over again) if anyring-magnet falls into any improper pocket or out of sequence outlinedabove; if ringmagnets audibly bump or click (make physical contact withone another); if the Q-ring moves any ring magnet out of strictsequence, or; if a player manipulates any ring magnet into a right anglecorner where it cannot be moved (physical impossibility). A simple typegame allows player to cover the l, 2, 3 and A, B and C pockets with theinsertable and removable cover-plugs 58, while a more difficult gameallows players to leave all of the pockets wholly uncovered.

The above one person game becomes progressively harder, as ring magnetsA, B and C are added to the chain sequence. This feature allows for awide range of players, from the small child to the most adept adult.

ln playing the game from the south end, the object of the game andgoverning rules are the same as outlined. One player is responsible forthe manipulation of the rightside (white-Q, yellow-1, blue-2, red-3)while the other player is simultaneously racing the left side (black-Q,lavender-A, orange-B, and green-C). Interesting situations develop andhappen when one players ring magnets become involved in the otherplayers territory. Rules for governing this situation are well defined,but are not set forth here.

Other games and game variations beyond the basic ones described aboveare unlimited. The more popular of these will be suggested in Game Ruleswhich will be published and included with the game.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. A magnetic shuffieboard game comprising a game board having a smoothflat playing surface plotted and laid out at one playing end to providea starting area, a plurality of magnetic playing and scoring piecescapable of being selectively slid and shiftably moved out frompredetermined manually set positions within the confines of saidstarting area to an isolated complemental scoring area, said scoringarea having recesses defining a group of upwardly opening seating andretaining pockets for scoring reception of playing pieces which aresuccessfully shuffied by a player and temporarily lodged in saidpockets, said magnetic playing pieces being movable in response toforces of repulsion, at least one of said playing pieces being adaptedto be manually manipulated by one hand and constituting acue andfunctioning to repulse, chase and maneuver one or more of the playingand scoring pieces minus physical contact and solely by magnetic forcefrom the starting area to the scoring area in a manner and seatingitself in a scoring position in a prescribed pocket, said playing piecescomprising basically similar magnetic rings, the one ring beingcolor-coded, marked with the letter 0" and designated as a Q-ring, allof the other rings being distinctively color-coded and thusdifferentiated one from the other and from the Q-ring, said pocketsbeing identified l, 2 and 3 and A, B and C and individually anddistinguishably colored to mate with the colors identifying thecorresponding colorcoded magnetic rings.

2. The magnetic shuffieboard game defined in and according to claim I,and wherein said pockets are laid out and grouped to delineate atriangle pattern, are spaced apart a predetermined distance to isolatethe pocketed magnetic rings from each other, and of requisite diameterand depth to retentively but accessibly seat the respectively orientedand cooperable magnetic rings.

3. The magnetic shuffieboard game defined in and according to claim 2,and in combination, a plurality of readily insertable and removablenon-magnetic discs, said discs constituting covers for and being adaptedto be plugged into certain selected pockets when in use and having topsurfaces which are flush with said playing surface.

4. A portable table-type magnetic shuffieboard game comprising; a gameboard having a solid smooth finished and fiat playing surface, one-halfportion of said game board being adapted to function as a north zone fora single player and the other half portion being adapted to function asa south zone for two players, a median forward portion of said southzone having a triangulate group of six recesses which are individuallyand distinctively colored and are further differentiated by accompanyingidentifying numerals l, 2 and 3 and letters A, B and C, said recessesproviding receiving, seating .and retaining pockets for magnetic playingrings, a first corner area of said playing surface situated to the leftof said pockets having a row of aligned longitudinally spaceddistinctively colored relatively small starting spots providing a firststarting line and individually designated A, B and C, a second cornerarea of said playing surface situated to the right of said pocketslikewise having a row of longitudinally spaced distinctively coloredstarting spots providing a second starting line and being individuallydesignated 1, 2 and 3, six basically similar magnetic rings adapted tobe registered and concentrically lined up for use with coordinatingspots embodied in said first and second starting lines, that is, wheninitially manually set for use by the respective players at the southzone.

5. The magnetic shuffieboard game defined in and according to claim 4,and wherein a median lengthwise portionof the north zone is providedwith a starting line embodying aligned longitudinally spaceddistinctively colored starting spots, namely, yellow, blue and red spotsidentified l, 2 and 3 and lavender, orange and green starting spotsidentified A, B and C.

6. The magnetic shuffieboard game defined in and according to claim 5,and wherein the aforementioned magnetic rings are designed and adaptedto be set for use in concentric alignment with their respectivelycooperable spots, and also wherein portions of said playing surface tothe left and right of said last named starting line are provided withindividual t'riangulate groups of recesses also defining receiving,seating and retaining pockets for oriented magnetic rings, the group tothe left being numbered 1, 2 and 3 and distinguishably colored and thegroup to the right being lettered A, B and C and likewisedistinguishably colored for coordination with said magnetic rings.

7. The magnetic shuffieboard game defined in and according to claim 6and in combination, a plurality of readily insertable and removablenon-magnetic discs, said discs constituting covers for and being adaptedto be plugged into certain selected pockets when in use and having topsurfaces which are flush with said playing surface.

ing and retaining pockets.

1. A magnetic shuffleboard game comprising a game board having a smoothflat playing surface plotted and laid out at one playing end to providea starting area, a plurality of magnetic playing and scoring piecescapable of being selectively slid and shiftably moved out frompredetermined manually set positions within the confines of saidstarting area to an isolated complemental scoring area, said scoringarea having recesses defining a group of upwardly opening seatinG andretaining pockets for scoring reception of playing pieces which aresuccessfully shuffled by a player and temporarily lodged in saidpockets, said magnetic playing pieces being movable in response toforces of repulsion, at least one of said playing pieces being adaptedto be manually manipulated by one hand and constituting a cue andfunctioning to repulse, chase and maneuver one or more of the playingand scoring pieces minus physical contact and solely by magnetic forcefrom the starting area to the scoring area in a manner and seatingitself in a scoring position in a prescribed pocket, said playing piecescomprising basically similar magnetic rings, the cue ring beingcolor-coded, marked with the letter ''''Q'''' and designated as aQ-ring, all of the other rings being distinctively color-coded and thusdifferentiated one from the other and from the Q-ring, said pocketsbeing identified 1, 2 and 3 and A, B and C and individually anddistinguishably colored to mate with the colors identifying thecorresponding color-coded magnetic rings.
 2. The magnetic shuffleboardgame defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said pockets arelaid out and grouped to delineate a triangle pattern, are spaced apart apredetermined distance to isolate the pocketed magnetic rings from eachother, and of requisite diameter and depth to retentively but accessiblyseat the respectively oriented and cooperable magnetic rings.
 3. Themagnetic shuffleboard game defined in and according to claim 2, and incombination, a plurality of readily insertable and removablenon-magnetic discs, said discs constituting covers for and being adaptedto be plugged into certain selected pockets when in use and having topsurfaces which are flush with said playing surface.
 4. A portabletable-type magnetic shuffleboard game comprising: a game board having asolid smooth finished and flat playing surface, one-half portion of saidgame board being adapted to function as a north zone for a single playerand the other half portion being adapted to function as a south zone fortwo players, a median forward portion of said south zone having atriangulate group of six recesses which are individually anddistinctively colored and are further differentiated by accompanyingidentifying numerals 1, 2 and 3 and letters A, B and C, said recessesproviding receiving, seating and retaining pockets for magnetic playingrings, a first corner area of said playing surface situated to the leftof said pockets having a row of aligned longitudinally spaceddistinctively colored relatively small starting spots providing a firststarting line and individually designated A, B and C, a second cornerarea of said playing surface situated to the right of said pocketslikewise having a row of longitudinally spaced distinctively coloredstarting spots providing a second starting line and being individuallydesignated 1, 2 and 3, six basically similar magnetic rings adapted tobe registered and concentrically lined up for use with coordinatingspots embodied in said first and second starting lines, that is, wheninitially manually set for use by the respective players at the southzone.
 5. The magnetic shuffleboard game defined in and according toclaim 4, and wherein a median lengthwise portion of the north zone isprovided with a starting line embodying aligned longitudinally spaceddistinctively colored starting spots, namely, yellow, blue and red spotsidentified 1, 2 and 3 and lavender, orange and green starting spotsidentified A, B and C.
 6. The magnetic shuffleboard game defined in andaccording to claim 5, and wherein the aforementioned magnetic rings aredesigned and adapted to be set for use in concentric alignment withtheir respectively cooperable spots, and also wherein portions of saidplaying surface to the left and right of said last named starting lineare provided with individual triangulate groups of recesses alsodefining receiving, seating and retaining pockets for orientEd magneticrings, the group to the left being numbered 1, 2 and 3 anddistinguishably colored and the group to the right being lettered A, Band C and likewise distinguishably colored for coordination with saidmagnetic rings.
 7. The magnetic shuffleboard game defined in andaccording to claim 6 and in combination, a plurality of readilyinsertable and removable non-magnetic discs, said discs constitutingcovers for and being adapted to be plugged into certain selected pocketswhen in use and having top surfaces which are flush with said playingsurface.
 8. The magnetic shuffleboard game defined in claim 7, andwherein each disc is of a prescribed thickness corresponding to thedepth of the pocket in which it is plugged, and the diameter thereofcorresponding to the diameter of the cooperable pocket.
 9. The magneticshuffleboard game defined in claim 6, and wherein said magnetic ringsare individually color-coded and differentiated one from another, thepredetermined colors of the individual magnetic rings corresponding tothe coordinating colors designating said spots and distinguishablecolors designating said seating and retaining pockets.